Apparatus for arranging articles into spaced batches



Dec. 24, 1963 J. H. c. ATKINS 3,115,237

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES mo SPACED BATCHES Filed Aug; 22. 1962 United States Patent 3,115,237 APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES INTO SPACED BATCHES John H. C. Atkins, Peterborough, England, assign'or to Baker Perkins Holdings Limited, Peterhorough, England Filed Aug. 22, 19%2, Ser. No. 218,766 Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 24, 1961 Claims. (Cl. 19834) This invention relates to batching machines of the type used in the production of confections which are to be coated with chocolate, as for example, in a biscuit producing plant which may comprise in series a dough mixer, pre-sheeter, gauge rolls, cutting machine, oven, cooler, batching machine, enrober, tier cooler (employing spaced plaques) and wrapping and packaging machines.

In such a plant biscuit dough is cut by the cutting machine and passed through the oven to the batching machine at, say, 24 ft./min. in a continuous stream. The function of the batching machine is to divide the biscuits into spaced apart batches, due to constructional limitations of the tier cooler, which normally takes the form of an enclosed chain circuit carryin spaced plaques each of which receives a batch of biscuits after they have been enrobed. In traversing the path of the tier cooler, these plaques must be kept horizontal at all times in order to maintain the positioning of the enrobed biscuits on the plaques, but because of the period of cooling required, the biscuits must be made to follow a continuous path through the cooler comprising a number of long horizontal runs (i.e. tiers) connected by short vertical runs in a somewhat serpentine like manner in order to retain the cooler to practical dimensions.

However, the change of direction of each plaque as it passes via the vertical runs to the horizontal runs necessitates that biscuits being fed to the cooler are in spaced apart batches, the latter being of suiiicient length to be carried by each plaque. As the plaques are carried about the turning points (e.g. sprocket or chain wheels), gaps are formed between the following plaques until they are travelling along the horizontal run of the circuit. The-refore, the batched biscuits must be fed to the cooler in timed sequence with the travel of the plaques which then carry them through the cooler. Without the use of a batching machine, the biscuits would be supplied in a continous stream and at turning points in the cooler any biscuits lying across abutting edges of the plaques would fall between the plaques.

It is appreciated that while this description relates to biscuit manufacture the invention is not limited to this application and may be equally well applied to other types of confectionery or similar articles which require a batching operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved batcher means for spacing equidistant conveyor borne articles into batches.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved batcher means for spacing equidistant conveyor borne articles into batches so as to have gaps between each batch of articles and which operates at higher speeds with more positive batching and less complicated mechanism than batching machines heretofore.

The invention consists in a batching machine for the purpose described comprising first and second endless conveyor means, having successively aligned upper laps which move in the same direction to form a conveying surface, a transfer zone defined between the end of the upper lap of the first conveyor means and the beginning of the upper lap of the second conveyor means, and means for displacing the transfer zone along a portion of the overall conveying surface forward and backward with respect of the continuous movement of the conveyor means by alternatively lengthening and shortening the upper lap of one conveyor means while simultaneously shortening and lengthening the upper lap of the other conveyor means correspondingly, and wherein the second conveyor means is driven such that its surface speed is greater than that of the first conveyor means and whence the transfer zone is displaced forwardly at a speed greater than the surface speed of the first conveyor means but slower than that of the second conveyor means.

The invention further consists in a batching device according to the preceding paragraph, wherein the transfer zone is displaced backwardly at a speed which is substantially slower than its forward speed.

The invention further consists in a batching device according to either of the two preceding paragraphs wherein the first and second conveyor means pass round closely adjacent turning point rolls, the gap between which comprises the transfer zone, and around rolls forming bights in the conveyor means which lie below their upper laps, the turning point rolls and the bightforming rolls being mounted on a reciprocable carriage driven by an osciliatory cam-actuated, lever to provide the forward and backward displacement of the transfer zone.

One embodiment of batching machine according to the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows the side elevation of a batching machine according to the invention.

For the sake of clarity, the general configuration and mode of operation of the batching machine will first be described followed by a description of the machines constructional details.

The batching operation is effected on a horizontal conveying surface 1 over which the articles travel. This surface 1 is formed by the upper horizontal conveying laps 2 and 3 of first and second endless conveyor bands A and B respectively, having bights C and D abutting at 4 to form a transfer zone. Turning point rolls 5 and 7 and bight rolls 6 and 8 are mounted on a horizontally reciprocable carriage 9, such that right to left movement of the carriage, as shown in the figure causes bight 'C to be lengthened and bight D to be shortened whilst maintaining their end abutment. By this arrangement transfer zone 4 is caused to traverse a portion of the conveying surface 1 in a right to left direction hereinafter defined as the forward direction. Similarly left to right movement of carriage 9 causes the transfer zone to traverse the conveying surface 1 in a left to right direction, hereinafter referred to as the return or backward direction. Thus the trans-fer zone may be reciprocated between an extreme right hand position 10 as shown in the drawing and an extreme left hand position 11.

In operation, articles (say biscuits) are delivered to the machine at 12 and traverse surface 1 in a right to left (forward) direction, during which passage the biscuits are transferred from hand A to band B and simultaneously batched as will be described.

Both the conveyor bands A and B are driven in the anti-clockwise direction but band B is driven at a surface speed greater than that of band A, for example, band B is driven at 60 ft./min. while A is driven at 40 ft./min. The carriage and hence the transfer zone 4 between the two conveyor bands, however, is cyclically moved (by means still to be described) at a forward speed of say 50 ft./min., which is greater than that of conveyor band A but less than that of band B and at Patented Dec. 24, 1963 a return speed, of say 25 ft./min., which is substantially less than its forward speed.

Due to this relationship between the surface speeds of the conveyor bands and the forward and backward speeds of the transfer zone between the hands, when biscuits are received by conveyor band A (speed 40 ft./rnin.) with the transfer zone at its extreme right band position and just commencing its forward stroke (at a speed of 50 ft./min.), no biscuits pass the transfer zone 4 with which they cannot catch up, since the biscuits move at 40 ft./ min. and the transfer zone at 50 ft./ min. This condition obtains for the entire forward stroke of the transfer zone. On the return stroke of the transfer zone (at a speed of 25 ft./min.), the biscuits still being conveyed on conveyor A are caused to pass over the transfer zone and on to conveyor band B due to the peeling effect of band A until the transfer zone completes its slow return stroke and re-cornmences its faster forward stroke. From the moment of commencement of the forward stroke (transfer zone speed 50 ft./min.), the surface of band A moves forwards slowly and moves backwards with respect to the faster forward direction of movement of the transfer zone, due to the slower speed of the band surface (40 ft./min.), while the surface of conveyor B moves forward slightly faster (60 minus 50 ft./min.-1O ft./min. faster) than the transfer zone. Thus, during the forward stroke of the transfer zone, while no transfer of biscuits is taking place, the biscuits on bands A and B move as batches or groups away from the transfer zone and therefore from each other so providing the desired spacing between one batch of biscuits and the next.

Due to the differential speed of movement between the transfer zone and the conveyor bands occurring when the transfer zone is moving forwards, points on both bands conveying surfaces move away from the transfer zone and thus any row of biscuits which was in the act of passing over the transfer zone at the moment of transition of the transfer zone from a return to a forward stroke, will be displaced immediately therefrom to rest entirely on one or other of the conveyor band surfaces to minimise the danger of biscuits falling into the gap between the two conveyors at the transfer zone. It should be noted that dispite the speed variations of the transfer zone, the biscuits travel continuously in a forward direction since bands A and B are continuously driven.

Considering now the constructional details of the machine, the circuit of conveyor band A comprises an infeed turning point roll 12 at the beginning of its conveying or active lap 2 and a small diameter out-feed turning point roll 5 at the end of this lap; the conveyor band path then passes back in a double bight beneath the conveying lap, passing round bight rolls 6 and 13, and thence via a tracking roll 14 to a large diameter driving roll 15 from which the band returns to the in-feed roll 12 via a tensioning roll 16.

The circuit of band B follows an identical juxtaposed but reversed path, so that it has a small diameter iii-feed roll 7, closely adjacent the small diameter cut-feed roll 5 of band A, at the beginning of its active lap and an out-feed turning point roll 17 at the end of its active lap. The conveyor path extends below the active lap of the band from its in-feed roll 7 in a double bight by a bight roll 8 and thence, similarly, round a large diameter driving roll 18, tracking roll 19 and tensioning roll 2t to complete the circuit.

The gap between the two adjacent turning point rollers 5 and 7 at the end of the conveying lap of conveyor band A and the beginning of the conveying lap of conveyor band B comprises the above-mentioned transfer zone, over which the biscuits are transferred to effect batching as already described.

In order to provide the forward and backward movement of the transfer zone, the rolls 5 and 7 and the eight rolls 6 and S are all mounted on a horizontally reciprocable carriage 9 driven by a pair of oscillatory levers 22 mounted on shaft 2212 through connecting links 23. Shaft 22b is oscillated by a rotary cam 24, via a cam follower 21S, connecting link 26, and stub lever 22a, fixedly attache to shaft 22b external to the machine platework 32. The cam 24 has a profile which provides a fast forward throw to the oscillating lever 23 and carriage 9 and a slow return throw, the speed of the forward throw being faster than the surface speed of conveyor band A as described.

The position at which the link 26 acts on lever 22a relative to its pivot is adjustable as is the length of link 26 so that the throw of levers 22 may be varied as required. The purpose of these adjustments is to permit precise positioning of the beginning and end (i.e. the length) of each biscuit batch relative to the corresponding dimension of the tier cooler trays. Thus, when a different type (size) of biscuit is being batched (e.g. a change-over from a round to a rectangular biscuit shape) a different pitch spacing between rows will result and consequently require such batch length adjustment.

The rotary cam 24 is driven from a suitable motorised source 31 and chain drives for the driving rolls l5 and 18 of conveyor bands A and B respectively are also driven from the cam shaft such that conveyor band B is driven at a surface speed greater than that of conveyor band A. The band driving chains 29 and 30 are trained around chain wheels 2'7 and 28 attached to rolls 15 and if, the diameter of the wheel 28 attached to roll 18 being smaller than that of the wheel 27 attached to roll 15 whereby a faster drive is obtained for band B.

The rotation of the cam and of the conveyor band driving rolls may, for example, be correlated as described above such that the surface speed of band A is 40 ft./ min, the surface speed of band B is 60 ft./min., and the throws of the carriage move the transfer zone forward at a speed of 50 ft./min. and backward at a speed of 25 ft./min.

If the oven output is increased, the speeds of the two conveyor bands are correspondingly increased as is the speed of movement of the transfer zone, but since the batch lengths must remain the same, the throw of the transfer zone, and hence of the carriage, must be unchanged.

A device may be interposed between the batching machine (to work in association therewith) and the tier cooler which ensures that biscuits are not delivered to the plaques of the tier cooler if for some reason the one or more batches are out of phase with the tier cooler plaques. This device, is conveniently referred to as a gapper, since it ensures that gaps exist between consecutive batches of biscuits received from the batching machine and that these gaps coincide with the step-by-step movement of the tier cooler so that no biscuits are fed into it while the plaques are in movement.

I claim:

1. A batching machine for the purpose described comprising first and second endless conveyor means, having successively aligned upper laps which move in the same direction to form a conveying surface, a transfer zone defined between the end of the upper lap of the first conveyor means and the beginning of the upper lap of the second conveyor means, and means for displacing the transfer zone along a portion of the overall conveying surface forward and backward with respect of the continuous movement of the conveyor means by alternatively lengthening and shortening the upper lap of one conveyor means while simultaneously shortening and lengthening the upper lap of the other conveyor means correspondingly, and wherein the second conveyor means is driven such that its surface speed is greater than that of the first conveyor means and whence the transfer zone is displaced forwardly at a speed greater than the surface speed of the first conveyor means but slower than that of the second conveyor means.

2. A batching machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer zone is displaced backwardly at a speed which is substantially slower than its forward speed.

3. A batching machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second conveyor means pass round closely adjacent turning point rolls, the gap between which comprises the transfer zone, and around rolls forming bights in the conveyor means which lie below their upper laps, the turning point rolls and bight forming rolls being mounted on a reciprocable carriage connected to drive means for imparting forward and backward motion thereto whereby one conveyor means bight is lengthened whilst the other bight is correspondingly shortened to effect movement of the transfer zone along the overall conveying surface.

4. A batching machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the drive means include lever means connected to the reciprocable carriage and suitably driven rotary cam means operatively associated with the lever means to effect oscillatory movement thereof.

5. A batching machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cam means is such as to cause the lever means to impart relatively fast forward movement and relatively slow backward movement of the reciprocable carriage.

6. A batching machine as claimed in claim 4 and including cam follower means connected to the lever means through a connecting link, the position of attachment between the link and the lever means being adjustable to enable the lever throw and consequently the extent of travel of the reciprocable carriage and transfer zone to be altered.

7. A batching machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the length of said connecting link is adjustable.

8. A batching machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive for each conveyor means comprises a relatively large diameter roller around which the endless conveyor means is trained, a drive wheel associated with said roller and drive transmission means for said drive wheel, the arrangement being such that both conveyor means are driven from a common power source and the diameter of the drive wheels being such that the second conveyor means may travel with a greater surface speed than that of the first conveyor means.

9. A batching machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein both the conveyor means and the reciprocatory carriage are driven from a common power source.

10. A batching machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drive speed of said power source and hence of the conveyor means and reciprocatory carriage is variable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,703,881 Greer Mar. 5, 1929 

1. A BATCHING MACHINE FOR THE PURPOSE DESCRIBED COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND ENDLESS CONVEYOR MEANS, HAVING SUCCESSIVELY ALIGNED UPPER LAPS WHICH MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO FORM A CONVEYING SURFACE, A TRANSFER ZONE DEFINED BETWEEN THE END OF THE UPPER LAP OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS AND THE BEGINNING OF THE UPPER LAP OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS, AND MEANS FOR DISPLACING THE TRANSFER ZONE ALONG A PORTION OF THE OVERALL CONVEYING SURFACE FORWARD AND BACKWARD WITH RESPECT OF THE CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT OF THE CONVEYOR MEANS BY ALTERNATIVELY LENGTHENING AND SHORTENING THE UPPER LAP OF ONE CONVEYOR MEANS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SHORTENING AND LENGTHENING THE UPPER LAP OF THE OTHER CONVEYOR MEANS CORRESPONDINGLY, AND WHEREIN THE SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS IS DRIVEN SUCH THAT ITS SURFACE SPEED IS GREATER THAN THAT OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS AND WHENCE THE TRANSFER ZONE IS DISPLACED FORWARDLY AT A SPEED GREATER THAN THE SURFACE SPEED OF THE FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS BUT SLOWER THAN THAT OF THE SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS. 